A TAUNTON man who coerced a vulnerable 14-year-old girl into a sexual relationship has been jailed.

Adam Mortimer, 29, of Herbert Street, Taunton was sentenced at Taunton Crown Court today (Thursday, August 13) for five counts of inciting and engaging in sexual activity with an underage girl.

The offences happened over a five-month period between October 2019 and March of this year.

Charles Thomas, speaking for the prosecution, said that Mortimer met the girl in April last year, and they started communicating via a social media app.

The court heard that Mortimer coerced the victim into a relationship, and later pushed for that relationship to become sexual, despite the victim's reluctance and vulnerability.

Mr Thomas explained that Mortimer had incited and engaged in sexual activity with the underage girl on several occasions between October and March.

"The victim said she felt trapped in the relationship and wanted to get out of it by January," Mr Thomas said.

He said the girl felt 'relieved' when the situation came to light one day in March, after her father unintentionally overheard an inappropriate conversation between Mortimer and his daughter via his Bluetooth headset.

Harry Ahuja, defending, said that in the pre-sentence report Mortimer was described as having an 'unstable emotional personality disorder', and that the defendant had suffered abuse as a child.

Judge Paul Cook sentenced Mortimer to a total of four years and eight months in prison.